Prepare for War!

[Lhalo]

‘There is going to be a war’ if owners seek further player salary reductions

Reports over the weekend strongly suggest that Major League Baseball and its owners are going to seek further economic concessions from players as a part of any plan to play the 2020 season. The players, NBC Sports is hearing, are hopping mad about it. Indeed, a source familiar with players’ thinking on the matter says that there is “going to be a war” over any 2020 season plan if the owners demand further pay cuts.
 

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2020/05/10/source-there-is-going-to-be-a-war-if-owners-seek-further-player-salary-reductions/

[Claude]

Bye bye 2020 baseball if the greedyvirus spreads across the MLB land. 

[kevinb]

Union and owners better prepare for a fight. 

[mtangelsfan]

3 hours ago, Lhalo said:

‘There is going to be a war’ if owners seek further player salary reductions

Reports over the weekend strongly suggest that Major League Baseball and its owners are going to seek further economic concessions from players as a part of any plan to play the 2020 season. The players, NBC Sports is hearing, are hopping mad about it. Indeed, a source familiar with players’ thinking on the matter says that there is “going to be a war” over any 2020 season plan if the owners demand further pay cuts.
 

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2020/05/10/source-there-is-going-to-be-a-war-if-owners-seek-further-player-salary-reductions/

I don’t think anyone is going to die.

[eligrba]

10 minutes ago, mtangelsfan said:

I don’t think anyone is going to die.

I find it is often a metaphor used by people who never did.

[gotbeer]

Might not be a 2020 or 2021 season.  Pro sports better watch out.  The longer we are without sports, the more people will realize they don't need sports.  Heck, you have to wonder what sports is going to look like for the fans anyways.  Sportsbars will be entirely different with no contact and social distancing.  Stadiums, who knows how that's going to play out.  This is one of those things where if the Owners and Players Union don't see the big picture, they are both going to lose big.

[Stradling]

I think if baseball comes back this season you will see incredible ratings, I just have no idea how that translates into attendance next year.  

This really isn’t about greed as much as it is to stop the bleeding.  The players have all the power as they don’t have to play this year.  If they don’t play, that is fine with me.  I would prefer they play, at the same time I understand if they chose to sit the season out for health reasons.  My belief is the union should then pay the guys at a certain level (pre arb players) a livable wage for the year, maybe 20% of their earnings.  I am sure they pay in, now would be a great time to be able to take a withdrawal from the union.   

[Justin]

31 minutes ago, Vladdylonglegs said:

Interesting point. I really missed sports for the first few weeks but I don’t really care much anymore. 

I'm the opposite. I'm so desperate for sports, I'd be thrilled to watch the NBA right now. 

(Western Conference only.)

[Claude]

2 minutes ago, Stradling said:

I think if baseball comes back this season you will see incredible ratings, I just have no idea how that translates into attendance next year.  

This really isn’t about greed as much as it is to stop the bleeding.  The players have all the power as they don’t have to play this year.  If they don’t play, that is fine with me.  I would prefer they play, at the same time I understand if they chose to sit the season out for health reasons.  My belief is the union should then pay the guys at a certain level (pre arb players) a livable wage for the year, maybe 20% of their earnings.  I am sure they pay in, now would be a great time to be able to take a withdrawal from the union.   

People need to put the money and entertainment value aside and try to do everything possible to reduce exposure to save lives even if it means no baseball. 
They don’t really have control of this situation yet. 
 

[Tank]

31 minutes ago, SoPas Angel said:

I'm the opposite. I'm so desperate for sports, I'd be thrilled to watch the NBA right now. 

(Western Conference only.)

If you tell us you’d watch soccer, we’re gonna get you some professional help.

[Justin]

10 minutes ago, Tank said:

If you tell us you’d watch soccer, we’re gonna get you some professional help.

If I tell you I'd watch soccer, just cut out the middleman and put me out of my misery, please. 

[Tank]

4 minutes ago, SoPas Angel said:

If I tell you I'd watch soccer, just cut out the middleman and put me out of my misery, please. 

Consider it done, my friend.

[Lou]

I miss cricket

[Taylor]

1 hour ago, Vladdylonglegs said:

Interesting point. I really missed sports for the first few weeks but I don’t really care much anymore. 

I really miss Angels baseball. More than I did a few weeks ago.

[Taylor]

[Angels 1961]

1 hour ago, Vladdylonglegs said:

Interesting point. I really missed sports for the first few weeks but I don’t really care much anymore. 

I agree but we do know it's coming back. I miss my friends and going to casino playing poker.

[gotbeer]

26 minutes ago, Taylor said:

Congratulations.  Both your states MLB baseball teams have been social distancing for years.

[Claude]

I don’t consider not watching baseball an inconvenience. There’s just so much more to life. I have no problem riding it out until the day it’s 100% safe for the players to play and safe for the fans to watch it live. 
 

 

Edited May 11, 2020 by RendZone

[Taylor]

4 minutes ago, RendZone said:

I have no problem riding it out until the day it’s 100% safe for the players to play and safe for the fans to watch it live. 

I agree, but I still miss baseball.

[Duren, Duren]

Kind of interesting for MLB to experiment with a very unique one off format. Whatever form it takes. Historically the results will be inconsistent in terms of team and player stats, but the drama of a championship chase will still be fun.

No one can get too high or too low based on the unusual circumstances. Still, strike shortened seasons are legitimized in the record books. And whoever wins will still be acknowledged. Something like the first and second half standings of 1981. 

[AngelsLakersFan]

2 hours ago, Stradling said:

I think if baseball comes back this season you will see incredible ratings, I just have no idea how that translates into attendance next year.  

This really isn’t about greed as much as it is to stop the bleeding.  The players have all the power as they don’t have to play this year.  If they don’t play, that is fine with me.  I would prefer they play, at the same time I understand if they chose to sit the season out for health reasons.  My belief is the union should then pay the guys at a certain level (pre arb players) a livable wage for the year, maybe 20% of their earnings.  I am sure they pay in, now would be a great time to be able to take a withdrawal from the union.   

Both sides have already agreed to the terms of what a missed season will look like - essentially no one gets paid. What they haven't agreed on is what a partial season played without fans would will look like. To me it sounds like MLB has crunched the numbers and doesn't see a way to break even playing without the fans, but does see a potential long term benefit to playing the games even at a loss. The players do not want to play the games at reduced salaries.

The question really comes down to how much value the players put on playing and getting paid vs not playing and not getting paid. A lot of these guys might put a lot of value into the idea of taking a year off, especially if they have a long term guaranteed contract.

[Chuck]

1 hour ago, RendZone said:

I don’t consider not watching baseball an inconvenience. There’s just so much more to life. I have no problem riding it out until the day it’s 100% safe for the players to play and safe for the fans to watch it live. 

To be fair, I haven't seen you enjoy the game that most of us here love for a long time. So of course it's not an inconvenience for you.

[Claude]

2 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

To be fair, I haven't seen you enjoy the game that most of us here love for a long time. So of course it's not an inconvenience for you.

That’s not true Chuck. I’m a baseball fan that attends a lot of games. I just don’t rank it higher than life. Some people on social media are acting distraught because there’s no baseball on. It reminds me of the guy who chopped off his own fingers in Escape from Alcatraz because they took away his art painting privileges. “Painting is all I have” he said. 

I think people can wait until it’s safe to resume normal play.

Edited May 11, 2020 by RendZone

[wopphil]

I don’t think there will be a season this year. This will all be moot. That being said, the players have just as much to lose as the owners. No season means no pay. The players are probably less equipped to handle that than the owners. 

[gotbeer]

2 hours ago, AngelsLakersFan said:

Both sides have already agreed to the terms of what a missed season will look like - essentially no one gets paid. What they haven't agreed on is what a partial season played without fans would will look like. To me it sounds like MLB has crunched the numbers and doesn't see a way to break even playing without the fans, but does see a potential long term benefit to playing the games even at a loss. The players do not want to play the games at reduced salaries.

The question really comes down to how much value the players put on playing and getting paid vs not playing and not getting paid. A lot of these guys might put a lot of value into the idea of taking a year off, especially if they have a long term guaranteed contract.

Looking back at the leaked financial documents of 2008 and 2009.  Home game ticket receipts were $103 and $100 million.  In comparison local broadcast revenues were $42 and $45 million.  And total revenue were $237 and $240 million.  So yeah, not having fans has a big financial impact on teams.  

https://www.scribd.com/embeds/68522636/content?start_page=1&view_mode=list&access_key=key-22q9h12ipr6k79j2ain1&secret_password=2fz6h9oi8exmmc3oo654